Rough Start
by bookwriter-lover1212
Summary: Set before the epilogue of Mockingjay. Told from Peeta's POV. Peeta has a hard time adjusting back in district 12 and wants to open up to Katniss, but finds it difficult with his memories being messed up and violent visions plaguing him. But, she's the only one who understands. T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games**

The screams were awful. So strangled with pain and fear, but there was nothing I could do. They could be heard from my house and I'm sure if Haymitch wasn't passed out he could hear them too. They floated out her bedroom window which she kept open all day and all night. They permeated through the thin walls of my house and found me wide awake in my bed from my own nightly terrors. All I could do was lay there and listen. I went to my window and opened it to hear her more clearly. She was screaming my name, but she didn't really want me. She wants the person who I used to be, not the mutt I have become. I returned to my bed and fell into a fitful sleep.

The next morning I rose early to begin my daily baking. I was tired and didn't want to do it, but I knew I had to do it or I would lose all motivation to do anything. Dr. Aurelius told me that routine would be good for me. I kneaded the bread and then put it in the oven. When it was done I took it out and sat it to cool before taking it to Haymitch. I knocked on his door but there was no answer. This wasn't unusual for Haymitch, he rarely ever answered his door. Too inconvenient he says. So I let myself into the house and found Haymitch passed out on the couch with a few empty glass bottles around him. Also not unusual.

"Haymitch," I said and threw the bag of bread at him. He awoke with a start and grumbled as he realized what had just happened.

"Can't I ever wake up naturally?" He muttered as he pushed past me and into the kitchen.

"You're lucky you wake up at all," I said and sat down at the little wooden table in his kitchen. Haymitch cut a few slices of bread and sat across from me. He began complaining about me and several other things and then fell silent. My mind wandered back to last night and the screams I had heard.

"Do you hear her? At night?"

"Who?"

"Katniss. Her screams."

"I hear them. She doesn't have anyone, you know," Haymitch said.

"What do you mean? She has more than me. She has her mother," I said. My whole family had been killed in the bombing of District 12.

"Her mother left her, Peeta. She went to some other district claiming it was too hard for her. Her own mother," Haymitch said. A memory flashed within me. A flash of Katniss starving behind the bakery and her attacking me for bread.

"Haymitch," I whispered, but it was too late.

"Peeta!" His yell sounded far away. I was back in the bakery. I was about twelve years old and there she was laying in the shadows of the bakery. She attacked me. she pushed me into the mud and beat me repeatedly. I gripped the edge of Haymitch's table to try and pull myself out of it, but it was strong. I flashed to a later event from in the games. Katniss was pulling a knife down my thigh. She was the reason they had to cut my leg off and I hated her for it. She was the reason my family was dead. I could feel my body convulsing. Where was I? I couldn't remember. Pain ripped through my body as I tried to decipher what was real and what wasn't. Her face flashed before my eyes and seemed so real. Her face had looked worried her hair a mess and still in pajamas.

"Peeta!" She screamed. Katniss. She had never hurt me, I forced myself to think. It's not real and I opened my eyes. It was over. I was laying on Haymitch's kitchen floor. The chair I had been sitting in was broken and the table was knocked over. Haymitch and Katniss stood over me. I looked at Katniss. This was the closest we had been since I returned to District twelve. I was too exhausted to move. I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths before opening my eyes again. I struggled to get to my feet again and started for the door. I had made a fool of myself. No wonder Katniss thought I was such a monster. I put a hand against a wall to steady myself. I pulled the door open.

"Go after him sweetheart," Haymitch whispered to Katniss. She didn't respond and I kept struggling toward my house. I closed the door behind me and pulled myself down the steps. The door opened again.

"Peeta," She said quietly. I looked up at her. What was I supposed to say? What could I do?

"I'm sorry," I said and started away again. She ran down the stairs to catch up to me. She didn't say anything to me just walked beside me. I made it to my door without completely looking like a fool.

"Would you like to come in?" I asked without facing her.

"No," She said and hurried away and back into her house. I sighed and went into my own house.

Again the screams were pouring into my room and woke me from my own nightmare. She was screaming my name. More frantically than I had ever heard her scream before. I had to do something. I had to. I quickly attached my leg and ran as quickly as I could to her house. I tried the front door but it was locked. I ran to the back door and found it unlocked. I ran up the stairs and followed her screams into her room. She was asleep on her bed still screaming my name.

"Katniss," I said and shook her gently. She didn't wake up.

"Katniss!" I said louder becoming a little more frantic myself. She opened her eyes and lashed out at me. Her nails ripped into my face and her feet connected with my ribs. I quickly let go of her and backed myself against a far wall. She let out a scream of anguish and began to sob. I stayed in the shadows against the wall, my breathing heavy and ragged from the terror and probably a broken rib. She turned toward me startled.

"Peeta?" She asked. I scrambled to the door. She hadn't known I was there.

"Peeta! Wait!" She said and cut me off before I could reach the door. I stopped and stared at her.

"Peeta, your face. It's bleeding," She said.

"I know..." I said.

"Why? Why is it bleeding?" She asked, but recognition began to show on her face and I remained silent. "Oh god, I did that to you." I nodded slightly and breathed in another ragged breath and cringed at the pain.

"I'm so sorry," She whispered.

"You were scared," I replied and started to move around her toward the door.

"Wait, Peeta. I... Let me clean you up," She said. I could very well do it myself, but I could hear something in her voice that made me turn around. She led me to her bathroom and sat me down on the edge of her bathtub. I didn't say anything. She got a wet towel and some disinfectant. She sat on the edge with me and started to clean my face. I remembered her cleaning my wounds during the first hunger games.

"Katniss stop!" I said quickly and turned away from her. Two episodes in one day was rare for me, but I hadn't seen much of Katniss in a long time. The memories burned in my brain.

"Peeta it's not real," I felt her hand on my shoulder. I shook my head and didn't turn back toward her. I still felt the threat of the vision coming. Then she did the most unexpected thing. She wrapped her arms around my body and laid her head on my shoulder. My body tensed involuntarily.

"Peeta, I promise you it's not real. I would never hurt you," She whispered to me. I thought about her words and everything the doctors and Haymitch have told me. Katniss has never hurt me, I convinced myself. My body relaxed and she released me. I turned back around and she looked me in the eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said and reached up to wash off my wounds again. When she was done I rose to my feet.

"Thank you," I said and rushed from the room and out of the house.


	2. Chapter 2

I didn't sleep anymore that night. I laid awake in my bed. I didn't get up to make bread or eat breakfast. I didn't move. I was brought back to reality when the phone rang. I picked up the phone beside my bed.

"Hello?"

"Peeta Mellark is requested in the Capital for medical review by Dr. Aurelius. Train 0126 will arrive at exactly noon," The automated message clicked off. Medical review? I began to shake and dropped the phone. I was beginning to panic.

"Haymitch," I whispered. I got out of bed wearing pajama bottoms and no shirt. I ran down the flight of stairs and flung open the door not even bothering to put shoes on.

"Haymitch!" I yelled frantically reaching his front door.

"Haymitch!" I screamed fumbling with the door knob. I opened the door and began searching the house for the drunk.

"Haymitch!" I flew open his bedroom door. It was empty. He wasn't here. I sat down on his bed and tears began to escape my eyes. Oh god, they're going to lock me up or worse, I thought. The capital was going to get rid of me.

"Kid? What the hell are ya doing on my bed getting your tears all over it?" He asked with a slight slur.

"They're going to take me away, Haymitch. They're going to kill me," I said still shaking and freaking out.

"What are you talking about?" He asked sounding a little more concerned. I looked at him blood shot eyes to blood shot eyes. We were different, but the same.

"I got a call this morning from the capital saying that Dr. Aurelius needed to do another medical exam. Haymitch, they're going to kill me. They think I'm a monster," I let out a shaky breath.

"Look at me kid. If you're a monster so is everyone else in this god damned country. They wouldn't dare lay a hand on you," Haymitch said firmly.

"Why not? I'm dangerous," I said.

"You knocked over a table, kid. That hardly makes you a national threat," Haymitch smirked.

"How would they know all I did was knock over a table? How do they know I didn't hurt someone? This capital is just as corrupt as the last one. They're going to hurt me," I said.

"If they're just as corrupt as the last one they won't lay a hand on you. They'll hurt everyone you love first," Haymitch whispered.

"Katniss, oh my god," I got up from the bed and began pacing.

"Haymitch promise me you'll protect her. None of that shit you did for the quarter quell where you promised us both. You promise me that you'll keep her safe," I said threateningly.

"They aren't going to touch her, I promise. Now calm down," Haymitch said. I nodded and took a deep breath.

"You better go get ready. The train should be here soon," Haymitch said. I nodded again and rose to my feet uneasily. Haymitch clapped me on the back before I left the room and stumbled down the stairs. I felt like the drunk one. I was completely exhausted and could barely walk in a straight line. I managed to make it home and packed some clothes in a small duffle bag. I sat on the edge of my bed until about 11:30.

It was time for me to go. It was cool outside and the leaves were just beginning to change colors in the trees. I vaguely wondered if I would ever see it snow again, as I left the victor's village for what may be my last time.

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	3. Chapter 3

I waited patiently at the train station with several other residents from the newly rebuilt district twelve. The others are not like me. They would not be boarding the train with me. There is only one train that visits district twelve. It's both a supply train and a passenger train. There's no need for two trains because people rarely enter or exit the district.

The others stared at me. They knew who I was and they saw the duffle in my left hand. They knew what was going to happen to me and I could see the pity on their faces. I recognized some of them from before the war. Their faces had no sympathy, only a blank expression. They knew I didn't want them to feel bad for me.

"Peeta?" I heard her voice. I turned around slowly. She looked confused and concerned.

"What are you doing? Where are you going?" She sounded panicked. The train rolled into the station loudly. I remained silent as she wouldn't be able to hear my answer anyway. The train came to a stop and peace keepers, just as menacing as the old ones, immediately flooded the platform. Two peace keepers took me by the arms and a third grabbed my duffle. They started to take me away. I looked back at Katniss sadly.

"Peeta!" She screamed and started to run toward me, but another peace keeper stopped.

"Peeta! You can't take him!" Katniss yelled and struggled against the peace keepers. I was loaded onto the train and the doors closed behind me. The peace keepers released my arms and disappeared into the train. I remained at the doors. Katniss was still screaming, but I couldn't hear what she was saying. She had started hitting the peace keeper and was struggling still. Haymitch came up to her and pulled her away from the peace keeper and the train. She was screaming at him. The peace keepers boarded the train again in a different car and the train slowly began to move again. I stayed at the glass doors until I could no longer see Katniss.

The train had metal walls, floors, and ceilings. Boxes of supplies were stacked high to the ceiling. I settled myself on the floor beneath the window with my back against the cold wall. Hours must have past by and I was starving before a peace keeper came and brought me a glass of water and a plate of gray mush. Coming from district 12 I'm not usually picky about food, but what they were trying to feed me a dog wouldn't even eat. I forced some down because I knew I would need my strength once I reached the capital.

I was in and out of consciousness for the rest of the ride to the capitol. I was awoken with a start by a peace keeper who roughly lifted me off the ground and pushed me out onto the capitol train platform. There I was shoved into a car with windows so tinted I couldn't see out them. The car came to a stop after some time and I was pulled from the car.

A peace keeper put handcuffs on me and I was thrown into a memory of the night with Katniss in the basement. The night before Prim died. I shoved the memory out of my thoughts. Now was definitely not a good time to have an episode. The peace keepers pulled me down several white unidentifiable hallways and then into a door marked with the number 12. I was strapped onto the bed and then left alone in the room. I looked wildly around. There was nothing that could help me. I pulled at the restraints on my hands, but that only caused the to tighten.

"Struggling will only make it worse, Peeta," I heard Dr. Aurelius's voice. I looked up at the doorway and stopped struggling but by no means did I begin to relax.

"Do you know why you are here?" He asked.

"No," I said although I did really.

"You've been causing quite some concern here in the capitol. We're worried about the violent episodes you've been having," He said.

"Violent?" I asked.

"Yes, you're endangering everyone's life around you. Sure, you only broke a chair and knocked over a table, but who's to say it won't be worse next time? Who's to say you won't take a knife to Haymitch? Or strangle Katniss again?" He demanded. He was right and I remained silent.

"We have brought you here to help you," Dr. Aurelius explained. "We've come up with many new medical revelations we're dying to try. Mrs. Everdeen even helped us with some of them." The way he said "dying" made my skin crawl.

"Trial 1," Dr. Aurelius said and stuck me with a needle. A thick purple liquid entered my blood stream. It made my veins burn like my blood had suddenly turned to fire. I screamed for what seemed like days and then lost consciousness. When I regained my senses a tv was on and playing something on it. My vision was fuzzy but then I heard my voice coming from it. I tried harder to focus and realized it was my first games. Katniss was killing me. My vision became shiny and I pulled at the restraints keeping me on the bed.

"Trial two," I hadn't even realized Dr. Aurelius was in the room. He put a mask over my face and released a sort of gas. It smelled sweat, but also felt like fire. I tried to scream again, but only succeeded on choking on the gas causing me to pass out sooner than last time.

The next time I awoke it was dark in my room. No tv was on and Dr. Aurelius was gone. The mask wasn't on my face and there were no tubes in my arms or legs. I had to get out of here. I pulled wildly at the restraints trying hard not to panic. I calmed myself and slowly pulled at one of the restraints on my hand and was able to slip it out. I then easily removed my other hand, feet, and chest. I walked quietly to the door and to my surprise it was left unlocked.

I left the room and silently closed the door behind me. Where was I going to go? All the hallways looked the same and I couldn't remember how to out of the building. I chose a direction and walked that way. I walked for quite sometime carefully avoiding peace keepers and other personnel until an alarm sounded.

The alarm sounded and I could hear feet coming from all directions. I ran. I ran down the halls until I was stuck between two groups of peace keepers. I had two options: I could let the peace keepers take me or I could I open the door behind me and hope to find something good. I chose the latter. I threw open the white door and rushed inside and slammed the door shut. I frantically looked for something to barricade the door, but came up short.

"Peeta?" a voice asked. I spun around and found President Paylor sitting behind a desk. Just then the door flew open and the peace keepers grabbed me.

"Release him!" Paylor yelled above the commotion of my struggling. They let me go and I dropped to the floor. She shooed the peace keepers from the room and helped me into a chair.

"Peeta what are you doing here?" She asked so I told her everything. I told her about Katniss and the table, and the nightmares, the phone call, the train, the trials, the fire inside me, and lastly my escape.

"Oh Peeta. No more drugs. No more trials. I will fire Dr. Aurelius immediately. You won't get any more phone calls and neither will Katniss. I'm sure Haymitch would be happy to help you both. And I will personally escort you back to District 12. This is an outrage. I'm so incredibly sorry, Peeta," She said and gently touched the top of my head.

"I'll call Haymitch immediately and inform him that we'll be on our way back," She said and I nodded.

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	4. Chapter 4

I had never felt so relieved to be back in District 12. I walked onto the platform and immediately heard Katniss scream my name. She tackled me in a hug and I lost it. I cried into her hair and my knees buckled and I dropped to the ground. She held me tightly and I realized that maybe she had missed me all the months we had ignored each other.

"Oh Peeta, you were gone for two weeks! I was beginning to think you would never come home," She said. I lifted my head to look her in the eyes.

"Two weeks?" I asked and she nodded her head.

"It was only four days. I was only in the capitol for two days and on the train for two days," I said frantically.

"No Peeta, you were gone for two weeks," Haymitch said.

"Haymitch I don't know what they did to me," I was panicking. "I remember trial one and trial two, but then nothing. They could have done anything to me and I don't even know it. Oh god."

"Peeta, It's going to be okay. I'm here now, and I won't leave you again," Katniss said.

"Promise?" I asked my voice thick from the crying.

"I promise," and she wrapped me in her arms again.

"Two weeks," I whispered and she squeezed me even tighter.

"Come on we should get you home," Haymitch tugged on my arm. We walked quickly through the town to the victor's village. Our speed, however, did not shield us from the eyes of the townspeople. Their whispers reached my ears and I tried to tune them out, but I could still hear them whisper my name.

Haymitch opened my front door and I began to shake. Katniss pulled me into the house. It was just as I had left it. Flour covered the counters, icing stuck to the table, and recipes littered the living room floor. I ran up to my bathroom and threw open the cabinet that contained my medications. Bottle after bottle I flushed down the toilet while I sobbed. After the last bottle of pills was emptied I slumped against the bathtub and took a shaky breath.

"Peeta," Katniss whispered cautiously. I looked up at her in the doorway.

"Oh Peeta," She sat down next to me and grabbed my hands giving them a light squeeze. I looked down at our hands intertwined and felt a bit of hope bubble in my chest.

"I'm sorry I left you," she whispered.

"What?" I looked at her in confusion.

"I never should have went with Johanna. I should have insisted that I stay with you," She said and silent tears slid down her face.

The memory prickled in my mind and the world began to get fuzzy. In the distance I could hear Katniss whispering my name, or maybe she was yelling, I couldn't tell for sure. Edges of my vision became shiny and suddenly I was in the arena again, running alongside Finnick.

"Run Peeta! She'll kill us if she catches us!" Finnick screamed at me. I didn't need to ask who he was talking about. My mind just told me I was running from a dangerous Katniss. I clenched my fists together and tried to pull out of the vision. It was difficult and I broke out into a sweat. I was now semi-aware of my surroundings. I was in my bathroom and Katniss was still holding my hands. I tried to release her hands, but she held them tighter. She was saying something, no she was singing. I couldn't make out the lyrics to the song she was singing, but I could hear the smooth notes rolling off her tongue. I was no longer in the arena. I was safe. My eyes became clear and I stared at her.

"Peeta," She whispered.

"Did I hurt you?" I asked cautiously.

"No, you didn't move," She replied and released my hands, "Haymitch is waiting for us downstairs." She got up and left the bathroom. I struggled to my feet and followed behind her. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I could hear Haymitch grumbling to himself as he searched my kitchen for any sort of liquor.

"You won't find anything," I said beginning to wipe off the flour from the counters. Haymitch grumbled some more, but gave up his search and sat down at the table. The kitchen was silent for a moment. I was painfully aware of Katniss standing in the doorway of my kitchen watching me. The silence was broken by the ring of the phone. I jumped a little and gripped the edge of the counter so tightly my knuckles began to turn white.

"Peeta," Haymitch said, "Pick up the phone."

I took a deep breath and walked to the phone mounted on the wall. "Hello?" I said.

"Hello, Peeta! It's Mrs. Everdeen and I've been assigned as your new doctor since Dr. Aurelius has given up on you," The voice on the other line said. My hands began to shake. Given up on me? Is the capital really trying to cover up what they did to me? What does she mean new doctor? Paylor promised me no more tests.

"Peeta?" She asked.

"Peeta? What's going on?" Katniss asked. Haymitch rose from the table and snatched the phone out of my hand.

"Who is this?" Haymitched demanded.

"It's Mrs. Everdeen. I'll be Peeta's new doctor. Now please return the phone to him. This is between me and him," I could barely hear her words.

"It is not between you and him. It is simply his business because he doesn't want any more doctors," Haymitch said firmly.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked her voice rising so I could hear it more clearly.

"I don't care who you are, this boy has been through enough," Haymitch said and slammed the phone back onto the receiver.

"Who was it?" Katniss asked. I remained silent and waited for Haymitch to answer.

"Your mother," He finally said after a minute.

"My mother? What did she want?" Katniss asked.

"She's been assigned to be Peeta's new doctor," Haymitch informed her.

"She told me no more tests," I whispered. The angered boiled inside me threatening to come out, but I gripped the counter tightly and shut my eyes.

"It's okay Peeta. No one's going to hurt you," Katniss said and walked over to me. I shook my head, but remained silent.

"She's my mother, Peeta. She wouldn't hurt you," Katniss said reassuringly, although I wasn't sure who she was reassuring, me or herself.

"She works for them now, Katniss. I can't trust her," I said.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Katniss said her temper beginning to show.

"You weren't there Katniss! You weren't strapped to a bed with god who knows what being pumped into your veins!" I snapped at her.

"But…" Katniss started but I cut her off.

"She left you Katniss! How long has it been since you've really spoken to her? How do you know she's the same woman you knew before? The capital changes people!" I said. She glared at me and stomped away, making sure to slam the front door shut behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

I screamed in frustration and knocked everything off my counters. Several containers smashed on the floor. It wasn't enough. I was still angry. I opened the cupboard doors and threw everything I could find, plates, cups, and bowls. Glass was getting everywhere and my hands were bleeding. I could feel hot tears streaming down my face and I began to feel the slightest bit better. At least I didn't feel like breaking things anymore. I looked up and realized Haymitch was gone and the room was beginning to darken as the sun went down. The kitchen was now an even bigger mess, but I didn't feel like cleaning it up just yet.

A sadness began to settle in me. They were giving me a new doctor. They were going to pump me full of drugs and who knows what else. I had angered Katniss by insulting her mother and now she would probably never speak to me again. What was wrong with me? I looked down at the ground and picked up a sharp piece of glass. I walked upstairs and locked the bedroom door behind me. I walked to the window and looked over at Katniss's house. Her bedroom light was on and her window was open as usual. I turned away from the window. It was time to end this. It was time to end all the misery. I took the glass shard and brought it against my wrist. I slowly made the line across my wrist and then took it to the other wrist. The blood poured out easily and it felt like all my troubles were leaving me.

"Peeta!" Katniss screamed. It sounded like she was downstairs. I could hear her frantically climbing my stairs.

"Peeta!" She yelled and banged on the door. "Peeta open the door!"

"You're too late," I whispered. It was meant to come out as a yell, but that seemed to be all that I could manage. My body slumped to the floor just as she forced the door open.

"Peeta!" I could still hear her yelling, but I was incapable of moving or speaking.

"Peeta don't leave me," She whispered and her tears dripped onto my face. Then there was darkness.

…**.**

I opened my eyes and couldn't remember where I was. I bolted upright in the bed and looked around frantically. I got out of bed, but immediately fell forgetting that I need my prosthetic leg.

"Peeta!" Katniss yelped and ran to help me off the floor. She helped me back onto the bed and wiped my hair out of my face. I just stared at her.

"Why did you save me? I wanted to die," I said and continued to stare at her with my blank expression.

"You should be thanking me," She said through gritted teeth. I pulled away from her.

"Thank you?! Why should I thank you? All you did was damn me to stay in this hell hole of a life! You didn't do me any favors!" I yelled at her. She looked hurt and I regretted what I said immediately after it came out of my mouth. I used to be so good with words. What happened? She glared at me and left slamming the door behind her. I sighed heavily. When would this cycle of us fighting and slamming doors end? I looked down at my bandaged wrists and sighed again.

"What the hell are you doing?" I didn't have to look up to know it was Haymitch.

"Screwing my life up clearly," I replied.

"Why'd you do it, Peeta?" He asked. There was no accusation in his voice just pure curiosity.

"I wanted to be done. I didn't want any more doctors. I didn't want any more fights or anyone else to get hurt, but it looks like I just failed at that one," I said and ran my hand through my messy hair.

"Do you know what you mean to that girl?" He asked.

"I'd guess I'm absolutely nothing. I might be even worse off than Snow and Coin," I said. Haymitch let out a quick laugh.

"You're so stupid. That girl loves you. You're the only one she loves anymore," He said, "She was so panicked last night she couldn't even bandage your wrists." I looked down at the bandages with confusion.

"Then how?" I asked slightly confused.

"I did that the best I could," He said, "You wouldn't stop bleeding. It just kept soaking through the bandages and she kept screaming and crying and holding onto you so tight I was afraid she would crush you. When you tell her you wanted to die she feels guilty."

"Guilty?" I asked.

"She feels responsible for everything. For the war, the hell we endured, for every negative thought you have," Haymitch explained. I shook my head.

"I don't think she's ready to talk to me yet," I said.

"No, I imagine she's not," He agreed.

"I will fix this," I said.

"You better."

…

The days passed as they did before I was taken away by the Capital. I fell back into a routine of baking, visiting Haymitch, and painting. Every night Katniss would cry out in her sleep for either her sister or for me. I wanted so badly to go to her, but she wouldn't that.

"PEETA!" I bolted awake from the scream of my name. I sighed as I realized it was just Katniss having another nightmare.

"PEETA!" She screamed again, but it sounded different. It didn't sound like she normally did when she was sleeping.

"PEETA!" Another scream pierced the air and this time I didn't hesitate. I jumped out of bed and ran not bothering to put shoes or a shirt on. I turned the knob on her front door, but it was locked. Katniss let out another scream for me and I broke through the door.

"Katniss!" I yelled.

"Peeta!" She called back and there was some relief in her voice. I bolted up the stairs and found her sitting in her bed, her eyes wide in fear.

"What's wrong Katniss?!" I said and crossed the room to her. I pushed her hair out of her face and stared into her eyes. She took a couple deep breaths and then pointed across the room. Sitting on her dresser was a single white rose.

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